Preventive Practices Against Sexually Transmitted Infection Among Secondary School Students in Enugu State

Abstract

Aim: This study determined the preventive practices against Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) among secondary school students in Enugu State. Methods: A descriptive survey was conducted with secondary school students in Enugu State. Six research objectives and eighteen hypothesis were formulated in carrying out the study. Data were collected using a self-structured questionnaire titled “Preventive Practices against Sexually Transmitted Infections Questionnaire (PPSTIQ)” and analyzed using mean and standard deviation. Z-test was used to test hypotheses 1-12 and ANOVA was used to test hypotheses 13-18. Results: On preventive practices against STIs as regards sexual health practices among secondary school students, they had cluster means of 2.50 and 2.50 and standard deviations of 1.12 and 1.13; on preventive practices against STIs in terms of abstinence, they had cluster means of 2.50 and 2.50 and standard deviations of 1.12 and 1.11; on preventive practices against STIs in terms of before sexual activity, they had cluster means of 2.51 and 2.52 and standard deviations of 1.13 and 1.13; on preventive practices of STIs as regards STIs case management of 2.51 and 2.50 and standard deviations of 1.12 and 1.12; on preventive practices against STIs as regards secondary students’ knowledge of STI, they had cluster means of 2.56 and 2.55 and standard deviations of 1.12 and 1.12; on the preventive practices against STIs as regards school based sexual health education among secondary school students, they had cluster means of 2.52 and 2.51 and standard deviations of 1.12 and 1.12 respectively. Conclusion: The study concluded that sexual health practices, abstinence, before sexual activity, STIs’ case management, students’ knowledge of STIs and school-based sexual health education are some of the preventive practices against STIs among secondary school students as agreed by the respondents. The respondents also agreed that no significant difference existed in all the responses of the respondents. Recommendation: Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that Enugu State Government and relevant secondary school stakeholders should engage in mass enlightenment programmes for both male and female students to improve their knowledge of STIs. Seminars and workshops should be organized for the students by the secondary school management in order to help them improve in their preventive practices of STIs among others.